1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a camera having a built-in flash, more particularly, to a controller for controlling a camera having a built-in flash.
2. Description of the Related Art
SLR cameras having a retractable built-in flash and an auto-flash discharge mode in which the built-in flash is controlled to pop-up and discharge automatically in a low-light situation are known in the art.
In such conventional types of SLR cameras, it is sometimes the case that the built-in flash automatically pops up and discharges unexpectedly, resulting in an undesired exposure. This problem can be prevented from occurring if an auto-flash prohibiting mode is manually set by the user. When the user desires to set the auto-flash prohibiting mode or the auto-flash discharge mode, he or she has to operate a mode select button, dial or knob while viewing an information display panel (e.g., an LCD panel) provided on the camera body, after having set a desired exposure mode. This is a troublesome operation.
An object of the present invention is to provide a controller for controlling a camera having a built-in flash, wherein the controller makes it possible to achieve, by a simple operation, a most appropriate exposure mode which is selected automatically from different exposure modes based on the photographic situation, so that the built-in flash is prohibited from discharging in the appropriate selected exposure mode.
To achieve the object mentioned above, according to an aspect of the present invention, a camera is provided, including a built-in flash, a manual operation member, and a controller for controlling the camera. The controller includes different photographic modes; an auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in which an appropriate photographic mode is automatically selected from the different photographic modes based on photographic conditions, the controller allowing the built-in flash to discharge automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode when the built-in flash discharges at a most appropriate time of exposure; and a flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in which an appropriate photographic mode is automatically selected from the different photographic modes based on photographic conditions, the controller prohibiting the built-in flash from discharging automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode at a time of exposure. The controller selects either the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode or the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in response to an operation of said manual operation member.
Preferably, the manual operation member is an operation dial, wherein the controller includes a function to select a mode from the different photographic modes, the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode and the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in response to an operation of the mode dial.
In an embodiment, the built-in flash includes a flashlight emitter which is movable between a retracted position and a raised position, wherein the flashlight emitter can discharge at the raised position.
Preferably, the camera further includes an operation member which can be manually operated from outside the camera, and wherein the controller controls the flashlight emitter so as to rise from a retracted position to a discharge position upon an operation of the operation member.
In an embodiment, the controller allows the built-in flash to discharge when the flashlight emitter is in the discharge position.
In an embodiment, the controller controls the flash emitter so as to prohibit the flash emitter from rising from a retracted position to a discharge position when in the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode, even if the operation member is operated.
In an embodiment, the controller prohibits the built-in flash from discharging in the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode even if the flashlight emitter is in the discharge position.
Preferably, an external connector is further provided to which an external flash unit can be connected. The controller prohibits the external flash from discharging in the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode when the external flash unit is connected to the external connector.
In an embodiment, the different photographic modes include at least two exposure modes; wherein the manual operation member can be moved manually to be positioned at one of at least four positions. Each of the at least two exposure modes is selected when the manual operation member is moved manually to be positioned at a corresponding one of the at least four positions which is located between a first position, at which the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode is selected, and a second position, at which the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode is selected.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a controller for controlling a camera, including different photographic modes; a manual operation member; an auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in which an appropriate photographic mode is automatically selected from the different photographic modes based on photographic conditions, the controller allowing a flash light emitter to discharge automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode when the flash light emitter preferably discharges at a time of exposure; and a flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in which an appropriate photographic mode is automatically selected from the different photographic modes based on photographic conditions, the controller prohibiting the flash light emitter from discharging automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode at a time of exposure. The controller selects one of the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode and the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in response to an operation of the manual operation member.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a controller is provided for controlling a camera having an external connector to which an external flash unit can be connected, the controller including different photographic modes; a manual operation member; and a flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in which an appropriate photographic mode is automatically selected from the different photographic modes based on photographic conditions, the controller prohibiting the built-in flash from discharging automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode at a time of exposure. The controller prohibits the external flash from discharging automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode at a time of exposure when the external flash unit is connected to the external connector. The controller selects one of the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode and the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in response to an operation of the manual operation member, the external flash unit being prohibited from discharging in the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode.
In an embodiment, the appropriate photographic mode is automatically selected from the different photographic modes based on a low-light condition in the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode.
In an embodiment, the different photographic modes includes a standard mode and a sports action mode, wherein a faster shutter speed is selected than in the standard mode in order to photograph an object in motion.
Preferably, the different photographic modes further includes a close-up mode, a landscape mode and a portrait mode.
In an embodiment, the different photographic modes include at least two exposure modes. The manual operation member can be moved manually to be positioned at one of at least four positions. Each of the at least two exposure modes is selected when the manual operation member is moved manually to be positioned at a corresponding one of the at least four positions which is located between a first position at which the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode is selected and a second position at which the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode is selected.
According to another aspect of the present invention, a camera having a built-in flash is provided, including different programmed AE modes; an auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in which an appropriate programmed AE mode is automatically selected from the different programmed AE modes based on a photographic condition, the built-in flash being allowed to discharge automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode when the built-in flash discharges at a most appropriate time of exposure; and a flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode in which an appropriate photographic mode is automatically selected from the different programmed AE modes based on a photographic condition, the built-in flash being prohibited from discharging automatically in the selected appropriate photographic mode at a time of exposure.
Preferably a select dial provided on a camera body of the camera is also provided; wherein one mode is selected from the different programmed AE modes, the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode and the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode by an operation of the select dial.
Preferably, the select dial can indicate the automatically selected appropriate photographic mode in each of the auto-exposure-mode selecting mode and the flash-prohibiting/auto-exposure-mode selecting mode by illuminating a character on the select dial which corresponds to the appropriate photographic mode.
The present disclosure relates to subject matter contained in Japanese Patent Application No. 11-178422 (filed on Jun. 24, 1999) which is expressly incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.